The Republican journal., 1887-09-08
Robbery and Attempt to XIII.

Robbery ana Attempt TO Kill.
WALDO COUNTY MANS EXPLOITS AT LAW
RENEE, MASS.
Fer eighteen months the large clothing house of
Bicknell Bros. at Lawrence, Mass. has been system
atically robbed of silver money from the drawer.
The sums have been missed in small quantities,
but at times nearly 800 has been taken The total
is estimated at $1,000 The thief had always
escaped detection and it was believed he was
familiar with the store. For time past Mr..
James Bicknell, Of the firm with an officer, has
remained in the store during the night. About
midnight of Friday last the thief was captured
after an exchange of eleven shots in which both
the thief and the officer were slightly wounded
The Boston papers of Saturday give the following
account of the affair:
About 1920 O'Clock this morning, the officer
Oscar Bcnolt-hcarl somebody crawling through
Il scntlc from the cellar, the cashiers office,
and just outside the partition Between the scuttlc
hole and where the officer sitting is counter,
on which was ple'i a lot of SUITS making it nearly
four and one half feet high. AS as the noise
first reached the officers ears lie slipped on to his
slowly rising the burglar standing upright.
without waiting or caring to exchange word
the burglar instantly drew his revolver and fired,
hitting the officer in the third finger of the right
hand, making only a flesh wound. Benoit also
fired, and wounded the burglar, presumably on
the hand. After the exchange of shots both men
crouched down each side of the counter. Mr..
Bicknell, awakened by the first shot, rushed from
his sleeping place, shotgun in hand and was hard
" 10 feet away from and directly in front of the
burglar when the officer, rising little before the
burglar, shot inst as the latter raised his head
above the pile Of clothing on the counter The
shot missed, and the burglar remained standing,
but instantly catching sight of MIR. Bicknel, fired,
bat missed him. Mr.. Bicknell also fired his gun,
but the shot went too high and did not take effect
Thus it was that the principals in the little popping
episode exchanged several harmless rounds before
the wary thief took to his legs and made his
ayi hlhi Me dcfn
an elegant 32-calibre selfcockng Smith and West
on of the latest pattern.
Officer Benoits wounded hand was quickly
dressed and City Marshal O'Sullyan was called
up by telephone. In the alleyway in the rear of
the store, the marshal found the revolver that
used by the thief All the chambers had been
cmpte'l, ard the weapon was covered with blood.
Blood was also found on the doors and the wire
clown which the burglar had slid These discover
les gave the marshal two clews to work upon.
Officer Bcnot could give but an imperfect de
scrption OF the thief, but was positive that the
robber was person whom he had often seen
about the store, wearing Il gray suit, but whose
nane he could not recall.
With this another clew, the marshal began
the work of hunting down the thief. The name of
every clerk in the employ of Bicknc Bros.
taken by the marshal and all of them were paid
midnight visit, but it soon became clear that the
clerks were innocent. None of them had been
away from home and none could identify the re-
volver.
Then every hotel in the city was searched. On
the Franklin House register appeared the name of
Emory ii. Barker Bosom" He was at one time
employed e., at the house, and was one of the part
ners in the firm of Bicknell Bros He had arrived
in town the night before, and was to stop only a
day. y hasty examination of the register showed
that Barker had stopped at the house on the nights
OF the three last burgaries, and that he had left
town ON the morning after they took place. Salts
fled that the thief had been found, the marshal
dcrcd Capt Carey to give up his search and to ac-
company him to larker's room.
1t was now O'Clock in the morning, and the
summons of the police on the door was quickly
in a bloody cloth He made resistance as the
marshal led him away. lie admitted that he stole
the money that had been missed, and said that he
had taken, i'll all, about 5000
Mr.. }. l.. Woodcock, of Scarsmont who was in
Lawrence, says that Barker made his escape by
dropping down through the scutte to the cellar
from which he reached the top of the building by
stairs with which he was familiar. He reached
the ground on the electric wire.
Barker was alraigned III the police court Satur
day morning on the charges of breaking and en-
tering and assault on Officer Benot with intent to
Kill. 10 the first he pleaded guilty; to the second
rot guilty. Officer Benot amt City Marshal Osu
lyan were the only witnesses for the governments
They testified to the facts as related above The
prisoner then rctracted his plea of not guilty in
the assault case and pleaded guilty. Judge Stone
boGnd him to the grand Jury in the sum of
5000
lounS Barker is Il son of james Barker, of
searsmont, and his parents, who are among the
best people in the place, and of the highest stand
ing i'll every respect, naturally feel deeply the dis
grace thus brought upon them. The father is
disposed to let the law take its course and accept
the inevitable, but the mother, who is in feeble
health, is sorcly afflicted by her sons misdee,ls
Mr.. and Mrs Barker are now on their way to
California, to which state they recently moved.
IL Npl th. ,ln nr no
that he mast take the consequences of his wrong
doing. While nothing is known as to Barkcr's
condition at the time, it is believed he would
not nave entered the store used his revolver
had he not been under the influence of liquor.
He probably has a long term of Imprisonment be
fore him.
lie Law .ence American of Sept. sd contains n
fun account Of the robbery and shooting, sub
stan.ial'y as printed above, but with some adj
ditional facts of interest. 1t begins: "IIerb"
Barker is in Jail, 1t seems ccarcc!y credible that
the innocent faced, iovial and apparently big
hearted chap, whom everybody has know Al but TO
like, is gritty of enc of the most serious of crimes
but such is the case After his arrest Barker
said again and again "that he would hare ended
his FIFE had he had his pistol iii his possession
when he reached his room after the shooting" On
being searched s2.tl was found in his possession,
a.lu a gold watch, these being all the valuables
No one bnt Barker knew why he did the crime,
says the American, and che seems bound that no
one sail ever NOW ,toll hn He tells Of great
trouble he got into in Boston, and his pressing
need for money. Eut what the trouble is he keeps
TO himself Tnat he will commit suicide if left to
himself is 4 fUregonc conclusion" Barker has
been married but for some time has not lived with
his wife There is hut little prospect of his obtain
ing the 5000 bail The American concludes bv
saying "Some of his friends advance the insanity
theory to account for Barke-s actions and many
of the police are inclined to the same view"